UZoey walishova kakhulu kunakuqala ibhayisikili lakhe ngesikhathi esondela emzini osekugcineni komgwaqo uMakoro Drive. Wayewudlula ngesivinini esiphezulu lomuzi njalo uma esaya noma esebuya esikoleni. Ngesikhathi uZoey nomndeni wakhe befika kuleli dolobha laseGaborone besuka kwaBulawayo uReggie wamuxoxela konke mayelana nalomuzi. Futhi akakaze akukhohlwe konke akuzwa uZoey. Indoda eyayiyiphoyisa eyayihlala khona yabulala ingane yayo nenkosikazi yayo phakathi kulomuzi eminyakeni emihlanu edlule. Akuzange kwaphinde kwahlala omunye umuntu kulomuzi selokhu kwenzeka lesi sigameko. Azikho izicabha kuwona, amawindi awasenazo izingilazi ezivimbela izimvula, izintuli kanye nomoya ukuba kungene. UZoey wayesenakisisile ukuthi kwakunezindawana ophahleni lapho uthayela owawungasekho khona. Wazibuza ukuthi kungani lomuzi ungabhidlizwa kwakhiwe omunye, kodwa wacabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe kwawona umhlaba okwakwakhiwe kuwo waqalekiswa ngesigameko esenzeka.

Wehlisa isivinini uma esejikile waphuma kuMakoro Drive. Wangena emgwaqeni okukhona kuwo umuzi wakubo. Umfowabo omncane, uTendai, wayemlindile esangweni nenja yabo, uMickey, njenga nsukuzonke uma ebuya esikoleni. Wamisa ibhayisikili lakhe uZoey, wehla kulona, waliqhuba wangena esangweni.

“Zoey, uMa Dinky unginike i-gold star namhlanje ngoba ngiwubhale kahle u ‘B’,” kwasho uTendai ngesikhathi beyongena endlini ngesicabha esingemuva. “Buka nje inhle kanjani i-gold star yami!”

UZoey wabuka phansi wayibona i-gold star eyayinamathele esiphongweni sikaTendai. “Kuhle kakhulu lokho, T. Hawu, ekugcineni ukhumbulile ukuyimisa ngendlela efanele i-gold star?’

“Yebo.”

UZoey wakhiyela ibhayisikili esigxobeni esisekela umpheme wemoto maqede wafukula inja yabo, uMickey. “Sawubona mngani wami,” washo emamatheka eyiyekela lenja encane ewuhlobo lweDachshund ukuba imukhothe ebusweni. “Ikuphi eyakho i-gold star wena Mickey?”

Ngaphakathi endlini usisi osizayo, uLesego, wayesekuqedile konke okosuku eselungiselela ukuyogibela itekisi ezomhambisa eBlock 8 lapho ayehlala khona. “Lalela, Zoey, sengiwaqobile ama-veggie enizowadla nokudla kwakusihlwa. Asefrijini. Nizofudumeza i-rice nesitshulu ku-microwave uma senilambile. Umama wakho ufonile wangitshela ukuthi uzobuya ngo 6:30, ngoba kukhona umuntu azomhlinza esibhedlela ngo 5 futhi akaboni ukuthi kukhona ukungambambezela.”

Umama kaZoey noTendai wayengudokotela esibhedlela esikhulu sikahulumeni, i-Princess Marina Hospital. Bathuthela edolobheni laseGaborone eminyakeni emibili edlule ngoba umama wabo wayethole lomsebenzi, kodwa uZoey uyazi ukuthi imbangela yokuba bathuthe kwakungukuthi umama wabo wayefuna ukuthoba inhliziyo emuva kokushona kukababa wabo. Noma kwakunzima ukuba athobe inhliziyo umama kaZoey kodwa wayematasatasa ngokusebenza ngokuzikhandla esibhedlela nokunakekela izingane zakhe okwakumenza abukeke sengathi ujabulile. Kodwa uZoey wayazi ukuthi unina akajabulile.

“Ngikuzwa kahle,” kwasho uZoey ephendula uLesego.

ULesego wagaxa isikhwama sakhe, wathatha amagxathi ambalwa, wabe esema. “Kukhona okubonile kulomuzi okuMakoro Drive endleleni ebuya esikoleni?”

“Engikubonile? Cha. Ubuziswa yini?”

“Ngizwa kuthiwa bamdedelile.”

“Lobaba wakhona oyiphoyisa?”

Wavuma ngekhanda uLesego. “Phela ubesesibhedlela sabantu abagula ngengqondo esiseLobatse. Kuthiwa useluleme.”

UZoey wayengakukholwa ayekuzwa ngezindlebe zakhe. Umuntu ulalama kanjani emuva kokubulala ingane nonkosikazi? “Angikholwa kodwa ukuthi uzobuyela emzini wakhe. Ngiyacabanga ukuthi angaphithana ingqondo futhi uma engase abuyele khona ngoba angaba nezinkumbulo ezibuhlungu uma efika endlini. Futhi wonke umuntu endaweni uyazi ukuthi yini ayenza kuloya muzi.”

“Ngizwa kuthiwa uzobuyela kuwona umuzi wakhe.” ULesego wanikina ikhanda. “Hhayi ngeke ngizohamba ngenye indlela namhlanje. Angifuni nje ukudlula kuloya muzi. Kuvele kuhlasimule umzimba uma ngidlula khona.”

Ebusuku sebedla isidlo sakusihlwa, umama wakhe wamunika ujusi maqede wambuza, “Awusho, Zoey, bekunjani esikoleni?”

“Bekukahle, Ma. Uzwile ukuthi leliphoyisa elabulala umndeni walo kuMakoro Drive lizodedelwa esibhedlela sabantu abagula ngengqondo?”

“Uyazi angazi yini indaba wena noLesego nithanda kangaka ukukhuluma njalo ngalendaba ehlasimulisa umzimba.”

“Kodwa ngokubona kwakho ngabe useluleme loya muntu? Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi umuntu alulame ekubulaleni umndeni wakhe?”

Kwaphela isikhashana ecabangisisa umama kaZoey. “Uma kuwukuthi kukhona ukuphithana kwengqondo okwamukhunga okwesikhashana kodwa manje odokotela bengqondo bakwazile ukukulingisa, yebo ngicabanga ukuthi angalulama. Kukhona ukuphithana kwengqondo okulungisekayo ngamaphilisi nemithi ethize. Angazi ngokwanele ukuthi ingqondo yakhe yayiphithene kangakanani yingakho ngingenawo umbono ngayo yonke lento. Kodwa uma ededeliwe kusho ukuthi odokotela babone esekulungele ukuphila emphakathini. Nabantu bendawo kufanele bamunike ithuba.”

***

Sitshele umbono wakho: Ucabanga ukuthi bakwazile odokotela ukulilapha umqondo iphoyisa esibhedlela sabantu abagula ngengqondo?